How to Treat Glaucoma: Role of Surgery and Other Treatment Options
March 30, 2024
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that can make a person lose eyesight if not treated properly within time. It happens when extra fluid exerts too much pressure in the front of the eye damaging the optic nerve.
It is very common in people above the age of 60 years. If detected early it can be treated using eye drops and pills. If the situation gets worse surgery is also an option. So you should get your eyes examined regularly for early diagnosis of any eye diseases.
This is the most common type of glaucoma. It happens when the fluids bulbs up in the eye similar to a clogged drain. As a result, the pressure builds up in the eye and damages the optic nerve.
This type of glaucoma is painless and does not show any symptoms. People sensitive to eye pressure are more prone to such type of glaucoma.
Closed-angle glaucoma
When the iris is very close to the drainage angle of the eye it ends up clocking the drainage angle causing closed-angle glaucoma. When the angle blocks up completely eye pressure rises suddenly resulting in an acute attack.
You should consult the ophthalmologist instantly when such an emergency occurs or you may even lose your vision.
Are you at risk of glaucoma?
Some people are at a higher risk of getting glaucoma. Below is the list of such people-
History of family members with glaucoma.
Feeling pressure in the eye.
Have near-sightedness or far-sightedness.
Have suffered an eye injury.
Have been on steroids for a long period.
Thinning of the optic nerve or a thin cornea.
Suffering from lifestyle diseases such as migraine, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Do you need surgery to treat your glaucoma?
Getting surgery is not the first step to treating your glaucoma. At the initial phase of the disease, medications may show positive results but if medications do not work surgery is your saviour.
Medications that you can choose
Glaucoma can be controlled with eye drops. These eye drops lower pressure in your eyes. The work of these eye drops is to reduce the amount of fluid in your eyes and some of the eye drops allow the aqueous fluid in your eye to flow easily through the drainage angle.
These medicines also have side effects. Some eye drops may cause-
Stinging sensation
Redness in eye
Increased heartbeat
Dryness in the mouth
Eyelash growth affected
Changes around the skin of the eye
Surgeries that you can undergo
Laser surgery
There are 2 main types of laser surgery. These surgeries usually take place in a clinic or cabin of the ophthalmologist
Trabeculoplasty
People having open-angle glaucoma generally go under trabeculoplasty along with the medication. In this surgery, the surgeon uses a laser to clear the drainage angle for a better fluid moment. This way the fluid flows out properly and pressure in the eye is reduced.
Iridotomy
This laser surgery is for people who are suffering from angle-closure glaucoma. During this surgery, the doctor uses a laser to make a pea-sized hole in the iris. Thai hole makes way for the aqueous fluid to flow to the drainage angle.
Some other types of surgeries to treat glaucoma
If the laser surgeries or medications do not help reduce the pressure of the eye, you need an operating room surgery. After such surgery, you might need from days to a few weeks to heal and recover.
Trabeculectomy
The eye surgeon will make a tiny cut in the white part of the eye to extract the mesh of the tissue inside. This drains out extra fluid from the eye. Doctors will advise you to take some medications along with surgery so that the tissue does not form again.
Electrocautery
This procedure involves the use of a heating device called Trabectoem to make a tiny cut in the drainage tissue of the eye. The device sends heat to the mesh of tissue in the eye. The heat makes the way for the aqueous fluid and reduces the pressure in your eye.
Looking for a top ophthalmologist
Diseases like glaucoma can be treated easily if diagnosed early. It is advisable to get your eye check-up regularly. The expert doctors of God Service Eye Clinic in Kanpur are available to serve you. You can reach out to us today to book an appointment.
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